Cable-railway.



J. M. MQOLELLON.

CABLE RAILWAY.

APPLICATION IILIJD NOV. 19, 1910.

Patented May 19, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. M. MoGLELLON.

CABLE RAILWAY.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19, 1910.

Patented May 19, 1914.

2 BHBETB-SHEET 2.

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yaw/66 3 azztazac'zezzov Z5 @Vds TED STATES. IATEN'I OFFICE.

JAMES M. MGCLELLON, 0F EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO MEAD-MORRISON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CAMBRIDGEPORT, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORA- TION 0F MAINE.

Application filed November 19, 1910.

To all QUIIO'HZ/ it may concern:

Be itknown that I, James a citizen of the United States, residing at Everett, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improve ment in Cable-Raihvays, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to cable railways and especially to the means for automatically releasing the grip from the cable at a certain point along the track and then for automatically gripping the car to the cable again at a point farther on. In my copending application Ser. No. 588,640, filed October 1, 1910, I have illustrated and described a cable railway embodying such automatic grip device and have claimed this device broadly. The particular embodiment of the invention shown in said application comprises a contrivance for positively releasing the grip from the cable while the car is in motion and at a predetermined point along the track, and another mechanism for positively operating the grip to close it again onto the cable at a. point farther on, means being provided at this point for bringing the grip and the cable to the same level so as to insure the proper engagement of the grip with the cable.

One of the objects of my present invention is to simplify the construction illustrated in my co-pending application and to cheapen the manufacturing cost thereof, and another object is to provide a device in which the grip will be automatically released from the cable without any appreciable jar or strain on the car and will be automatically closed onto the cable again at the proper time by means carried entirely by the car.

I will first describe one embodiment of my present invention and will thenpoint out the novel features thereof in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a view of a portion of a cable railway embodying my invention showing the car in the position in which the grip is about to be released; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the car in. the position in which the grip is about to be gripped to the cable again; Fig. 3 is an enlarged end view of the car; Fig. 4t shows a slightly different Specification of Letters Patent.

M. MOGLELLON,

CABLE-RAILWAY.

Patented May 19, 1914.

Serial No. 593,147.

form of construction from that shown in Fig. 1.

In the drawings 3 designates a track of any suitable construction, 4; a cable car traveling thereon and provided with a grip 5, and 6 designates the cable by which the car is propelled. The grip 5 may be of any appropriate construction and that herein shown comprises the two gripping jaws 7 and 8 that are hinged to a bracket at 9 and 10, respectively, and are provided with upwardly-extending arms 11 and 12 that are connected by a toggle lever 13 by which they are opened and closed. This toggle lever has connected thereto a link Ll which leads to an arm 15 extending from a shaft 16 that is journaled to the car so that by rocking the shaft 16 in one direction the toggle lever will be straightened thereby causing the gripping jaws to close together, while by rocking the shaft in the opposite direction the toggle lever will be broken thereby causing the jaws to be separated. A grip of this general nature is now in common use and forms no part of my present invention.

For opening the jaws of the grip to release the cable at the proper point along the track, I have provided herein an arm 20 which is secured to the shaft 16 and have also provided a stationary member 21 which is secured at the proper point along the track to be engaged by the arm 20 as the car moves whereby as the arm wipes over the stationary member 21 the rock shaft 16 will be turned to open the jaws of the grip. I prefer to make the arm 20 extend downwardly from the rock shaft in an inclined direction and to curve said arm slightly, as shown in Fig. 1, and to make the member 21 with the incline or cam portion 22 over which the lower end of the arm 20 wipes thereby to turn the shaft 16. By making the arm 20 of this shape and by giving the stationary member 21 the incline or cam portion 22, the operation of opening the grip is a gradual one and will be accomplished without any jar or strain on the parts. For automatically closing the jaws again onto the cable at a point farther on, I have provided automatically-operative means which are carried entirely by the car and which come into play to effect the closing of the jaws of the grip as soon as the arm 20 passes oil from the stationary mem ber 21. This automatically-operative'means may be in the form of a spring or weight or anyother similar device which tends'at all times to close the jaws and to keep them closed. In the device which I have herein selected to illustrate my invention, the automatically-operative means is in the form of'a Weight which is connected to the rock shaft 16 and tends normally to turnsaid shaft in a direction to cause the toggle le- Wis 13 to be straightened. This weight might be applied to the shaft in a variety of ways, but to simplify the construction I have shown-it as being carriedon the extended end 23 of the arm15. Said weight which is shown at 240 may be integral with said extended end 23, that is, said end of the arm may be enlarged to form the weight; or the weight may be aseparate part a'djustably mounted on the arm. In any event, said weight'will be heavy enoughto turn the rock-shaft 1'6 and thereby close the jaws'of the grip 'as soon-as the'arm 20 has passed off from the stationary member 21." In pia'ctice devi'cesof this natureare used at that point in'a cable railway where it is necessary to disconnect the grip-from the cable to permit the car to pass over someparticular portion of track, as, for insta'nc'e, the part of the traclt where the cable isdiverted" from'the'planeof the track to thecable-driving drum or'other' mechanism. I'nthe' drawings I have shown'the cable 6 asdivertedfrom the plane of the-track'to the cable driving drum over' a sheave 18',

and as returning to the track from the cable driv'ing drum over a sheaiv'e l'ia With this arrangementthe griphas tobe released from the" cable before the sheave 18 isreachedand thenhas-to be gripped to the cable again' at a pointfarther on, as fully explained in my co pending application.

The stationary member 21' is positioned at the'flproper' pointalong the" track so as to cause the'grip'to release the cable'just be' f0rethe sheave18- is reached and inorder' to prevent'the jaws of the grip from being agaili c'losed until the car has reached the proper point beyond the" sheav'e' lS, I pro p'oseto' form th'estationary member2l with-- the -[extension 2t-" o'ver' which the arm 20' wipes and which extension holds the" arm in itselevated position and'the grip open; As 1 with a track, o'fa car-propelling cable, a

soo'ni'as the arm 20 passes-off from theex tensions 2%; the automatically-operative means "comes into". play to" automatically" close the'ijawsof the grip again. In order" that when" the'ja'ws are closed they'may grip ont'o' the" cable; I proposeto provide means for bringing the" grip" andthe' cable to the: sa'n'ie l'evel, all as described in my co'-pending applicationa- The means" herein shown" for accomplishing this is the'iprovi'sion of a depressed portion 25 in' thetr aekwhich is situated so th'atthe car will passiont'o it"just' after the grip has been released from the cable, said depressed portion being so situated relative to the extension 2 1 that the same thereby bringing the grip to the level of the cable just before the arm 20 passes the grip, as above described-and the car'is thus automatically gripped to the cable again.

vIt is not essential to theinvention that the cable and grip should be brought to the same level by depressing the track, as-t-his might be done in other ways, all as described in my said co-pending application; It will be seen from the above that in order to release the grip and to automatically grip the car to the cable again requires simply the stationary member 21, the arm 20 to cooperate therewith, and the automatically-operative means, whether in the nature of a weightor spring. The deviceis, there fore, extremely simple and containsno elemerits-that are likely to get out of ord er.

In order to reduce friction between the parts and to render the device more easy of operation, I prefer-to place a' roller 26 on the end ofthe arm 20 which roller engages the stationary member 21.

I have herein shownthe arnrQO'as situate-d below the shaft 16 and as extending rearwardly therefrom. The advantage of this arrangement is that the weight of the arm 20 tends normally to close the grip,and

with the weighted arm 23 in closing the grip automatically. It wouldbe' within=my invention, however, to place the arm 20 in any direction, but if the arm is on the opposite side of the shaft 16frOmtheweighted arm 23, then said arm would act in opposi tion to the weight and a heavier weight would be requiredto close the'grip. I prefer the c'onstruotionshown;however, where-- in th'e'arm 20 is arranged to act in' conjunc-' tion with the weight in closing the grip:

Having fully described my invention,

@what I claim as new and desire to' secure'by Letters Patent; is

1. In a cable railway, the combination car on' the track, a grip on the'car,means to open the grip thereby to release the cable and to hold the grip open while the oar travels a predetermined distance, and automat'ically-operatiye means carried entirely by the car to close the grip again when'the car'has travel'ed'said distance. I

2. In a cable railway, the combination with a track, of a car-propellingcable a car on the track, a grip on thecar means to open the grip to release the cable andl to "rear wheels of the car will pass onto the maintain said grip open while the ear travels a predetermined distance, and gravityactuated means to close the jaws of the grip again when the car has traveled said distance.

3. In a cable railway, the combination with a track, of a car-propellingcablc, a car on the track, a grip on the car, means to open the grip to release the cable and to maintain said grip openwhile the car travels a predetermined distance, and gravity-actuated means carried entirely by the car to close the jaws of the grip again when the car has traveled said distance.

4. In a cable railway, the combination with a track, of a car-propelling cable, a car on the track, a grip on the car, automatically-operative means on the car tending at all times to close the grip onto the cable and to maintain it closed, and means at a certain point along the track to open the grip against the action of said automatically-operative means and to maintain said grip en while the car travels a predetermined distance.

5. In a cable railway, the combination with a track, of a carpropelling cable, a car on the track, a grip on the car, automatically-operated means on the ca r tending continuously to close the grip onto the cable and to maintain it closed, and means at a certain point along the track against the action of said automatically-operative means, and to hold the grip open While the car travels a predetermined distance, said automatically-operative means closing the jaws of the grip again as soon as the action of the grip-opening means ceases.

6. In a cable railway, the combination with a track, of a car ropelling cable, a car on the track, a cab e grip on the car, said cable and track having a normal. position relative to each otherthroughout the main portion of the track but having at a certain portion of the track a d fferent position relative to each other in which the grip is at the level of the cable, means to open the grip to release the cable without stopping the car while the cable is on the main portion of the track, said means operating to hold the grip open while the car continues its traveling movement and until the car reaches a position on the track where the grip and cable are at the same level, and automatically-operative means to close the grip onto the cable again at such po1n t.

' 7. In a cable railway, the combination with a track, of a car-propelling cable, a car on the track, a cable grip on the car, means at a certain point in the track to maintain such a position of the cable and track relative to each other that the grip is at the level of the cable, means to open the grip to release the cable without stopping to open the grip I rock-shaft and thereby open the car and to hold the grip open as the car travels and until it reaches a position wherein the grip and cable are at the same level, and automatically operative means carried entirely by the car to close the grip onto the cable again at such point.

8. In a cable railway, the combination with a track, of a car-prmpelling cable, a car on the track, a cable grip on the car, a rock-shaft on the car for operating the rrrip, a curved arm secured to the rock-shaft, a stationary member situated alongside of the track and having an inclined cam surface with which said arm engages to operate the rock-shaft and thereby open the grip and means on the car for automatically closing the grip again when said arm passes off from said cam surface.

9. In a cable railway, the combination with a track, of a car-propelling cable, a 3M on the track, a cable grip on the car, a rock shaft on the car for operating the grip, a curved arm secured to the rock shaft, a stationary member situated alongside of the track and having an inclined surface with which said arm engages to operate the rock shaft and thereby open the grip and maintain it open while the car travels a predetermined distance, and means on the car for automatically closing the grip again when said arm passes off from said surface.

10. In a cable railway, the combination with a track, of a car-propelling cable, a car on the track, a cable grip on the car, a rock-shaft on the car for operating the grip, a curved arm secured to the rock-shaft, a stationary member situated alongside of the track and having an inclined cam surface with which said arm engages to operate the the grip, and a weighted arm extending from the rock-shaft and operating to close the grip again when the curved arm passes oil from the stationary member.

11. In a cable railway, the combination with a track, of a car-propelling cable, a car on the track, a cable grip on the car, a rock shaft on the car for operating the grip, an arm secured directly to the rock shaft at one side of the car, and a stationary member situated at one side of the track and having a surface with which said arm engages thereby to turn the rock as the car moves shaft and open the grip.

12. In a cable railway, the combination with a track, of a car-propelling cable, a car on the track, a cable grip on the car, a rock shaft on the car for operating the grip, an arm attached to the rock shaft and extending therefrom in a direction opposite to that in WlllCll the car moves, and a stationary member situated alongside of the track and adapted to be engaged by said arm during the movement of the car thereby to turn the rock shaft and open the grip.

13. In a cable railway, the combinationwith a track, of a car-propelling cable, a car on the track, a grip 011 the car, a rock shaft on the car for operatin the grip, an arm attached to the rock shaft and extending longitudinally of the car, a roll on the arm, and a stationary member alongside the track and having an inclined surface with which said roll engages as the car moves thereby to operate the rock shaft and open the grip. i

14. In a cable railway, the combination with a track, of a car-propelling cable, a car on the track, a cable grip on the car, a rock shaft on the car for operating the grip, an arm secured directly to said rock shaft and extending longitudinally of the car, and a stationary member situated alongside of the track and having a surface with which said arm engages as the car moves thereby to turn the rock shaft and open the grip.

15. In a cable railway, the combination with a track, of a canpropelling cable, a car on the track, a cable grip on the car, a

' rock shaft on the car for operating the grip,

an arm secured directly to said rock shaft and extending longitudinally of the car, a stationary member situated alongside of the track and having a surface with which said arm engages as the car moves thereby to turn the rock shaft and open the grip, and automatically-operated means to close the grip when the arm passes off from said stationary member.

16. In a cable railway, the combination with a track, of a car-propelling cable, a car on the track, a grip on the car, means to open the grip thereby to release the cable without however stopping the car and to hold the grip open while the car travels a predetermined distance, and automaticallyoperative means carried entirely by the car to close the grip again when the car has traveled said distance.

17. In a cable railway, the combination with a track, of a car-propelling cable, a car on the track, a grip on the car, automatically-operative means on the car tending continuously to close the grip onto the cable and to maintain it closed, and means at a certain point along the track to open the grip against the action of said automatically-operative means without, however, stopping the car and to maintain said grlp open while the car tiavels a predetermined distance.

18. In a cable railway, the combination with a track, of a car-propelling cable, a car on the track, a cable grip on the car, a stationary member situated alongside of the track and having an inclined cam surface and an arm pivotally mounted on the car and having its end situated at one side of the car and in position to engage said sta-' tionary member whereby the engagement of said arm with said stationary member will rock the arm and open the grip.

19. In a cable railway, the combination with a track, of a car-propelling cable, a car on the track, a cable grip on the car, a stationary member situated alongside of the track andhaving an inclined cam surface and an arm pivotally mounted on the car and having its end situated at one side of the car and in position to engage said stationary member whereby the engagement of said arm with said stationary member will rock the arm and open the grip, and means on the car for automatically closing the grip again when said arm passes off from said stationary member.

In testimony whereof, I have name to this specification, two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES M. MOCLELLON. lVitnesses LOUIS 0. SMITH,

THOMAS J. DRUMMOND;

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ofZPatents, Washington, I). G.

signed 7 my 3 in the presence of 

